# What do you call this type of restaurant? **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345 **Category:** Factual Questions **Created:** [December 9, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345 "2008-12-09T03:26:01Z") **Posts on this page:** 20 **Page:** 1
### Author: ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/1 "2008-12-09T03:26:01Z")
You know those Chinese restaurants where they perform tricks with fire and cooking utensiles as they cook in front of you. Is there a name for that style of restaurant? ---
### Author: ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/2 "2008-12-09T03:29:31Z")
[Japanese](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teppanyaki) ---
### Author: ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/3 "2008-12-09T03:31:36Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > [Japanese](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teppanyaki) Although the food served at them is anything but. ---
### Author: ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/4 "2008-12-09T03:34:18Z")
Yeah, I was surprised to find that out in the article. Still, I just felt like being snarky. šŸ™‚ ---
### Author: ![papaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@papaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papaw) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/5 "2008-12-09T03:37:15Z")
Benihana ---
### Author: ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/6 "2008-12-09T03:39:10Z")
Yeahā€¦I guess they are Japanese. I suppose I am confusing a Mongolian grill style of cooking (offered at some Chinese restaurants) with this style of cooking. ---
### Author: ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/7 "2008-12-09T03:45:39Z")
As the article states, Teppanyaki is considered Japanese and found in most Japanese restaurants in the US, but they are slim pickings here in Japan. Even if you do find one, usually it is because you are cooking your own food, such as in okonomiyaki (savory pancake/omelette thing) restaurants. ETA: Most teppanyaki owners I have met (Okay, 2 out of the three that Iā€™ve met) donā€™t even know how to cook Japanese cuisine. I can see the reasoning behind opening one though. Imagine you are a Chinese immigrant with a flair for cooking. You could start a Mingā€™s Great Wall or a Panda Express and sell your food at fast food prices or you could call it Japanese food, throw in some sushi on the menu, and serve it all for 25 dollars a plate. šŸ˜‰ ---
### Author: ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/8 "2008-12-09T04:41:55Z")
It is often referred to as ā€œHibachi-styleā€ in the U.S. [Wikepedia entry on ā€œHibachiā€](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibachi). Scroll down to the last paragraph where it addresses your question. ---
### Author: ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/9 "2008-12-09T05:36:21Z")
Thereā€™s a couple around here which refer to themselves as Hibachi-style, as **Tangent** notes. ---
### Author: ![greatshakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@greatshakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greatshakes) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/10 "2008-12-09T06:09:32Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > You know those Chinese restaurants where they perform tricks with fire and cooking utensiles as they cook in front of you. Is there a name for that style of restaurant? ā€œIrritating.ā€ ---
### Author: ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/11 "2008-12-09T06:12:32Z")
Teppan Grill. ---
### Author: ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/12 "2008-12-09T16:49:16Z")
Benihana ---
### Author: ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/13 "2008-12-09T19:07:28Z")
Benihana is the prototypical chain for this style but not the name of the style. If you were to look for one I would look for ā€œJapanese steak house.ā€ ---
### Author: ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/14 "2008-12-09T19:12:40Z")
> [@seodoa](#): > > As the article states, Teppanyaki is considered Japanese and found in most Japanese restaurants in the US, but they are slim pickings here in Japan. Even if you do find one, usually it is because you are cooking your own food, such as in okonomiyaki (savory pancake/omelette thing) restaurants. A friend of mine was an Okonomiyaki chef. Jeebus but he provided such good food. ---
### Author: ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/15 "2008-12-09T19:16:53Z")
Iā€™ve seen several Japanese that converted to this style. I guess itā€™s a better sell than authentic Japanese food. Plus people get a little suspicious if you have sushi and are a bit too far from the ocean. ---
### Author: ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/16 "2008-12-09T19:48:38Z")
Side note: if you ever want to piss off a hibachi chef (yes, I know, why would you, but bear with me), beat him to the ā€œfirst week on the jobā€ line. Iā€™ve been to a lot of hibachi steak houses, and in my experience about two-thirds of the chefs will break that one out right before they try something dazzling, just to spook the newcomers. ---
### Author: ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/17 "2008-12-09T21:36:14Z")
Um, tourist trap? ---
### Author: ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/18 "2008-12-09T21:49:46Z")
You mean [like this place](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQy_5BPWErk)? ---
### Author: ![ntcrawler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@ntcrawler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ntcrawler) #### Post date: [December 9, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/19 "2008-12-09T23:50:19Z")
Japanese hibachi-style grilling? ---
### Author: ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique) #### Post date: [December 10, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345/20 "2008-12-10T03:51:47Z")
Venturing into MPSIMS territory here, I know, butā€¦ Years ago when the ex and I lived in NoVa we went to a cut-rate stripmall version that had a bar in the front of the house. I ventured out for a drink and a smoke and a chat with a bunch of construction-worker types (imagine that, a road crew in a US 1 bar in NoVa) who told me it was their bar of choice as the ā€œchefsā€ occasionally set things on fire. Like the ceiling lights. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-type-of-restaurant/476345.md?page=2)